Water pressure regulator



Jan. 18, 1938. w, T, BlRCl-l 2,105,876

WATER PRESSURE REGULATOR Original Filed March 4, 1935 Patented Jan. 18,14938 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE Divided and this application Novemberso, 1936, serial No. 113,496

1 claim. (ci. 50-23) The present invention relates to iluid pressureregulators, such as are used in connection with closed hot water heatingsystems having relief valve protection. The relief valve permits hotwater to escape from the heating system whenever the pressure of thesystem rises above what is considered a safe value, and the rise inpressure is due to the expansion of the Water when heated. After theWater'in the system cools 4so that the pressure of the system falls, theregulator functions to supply the system with an amount of water equalto that lost by the opening of the relief valve.

The hot Water heating system usually becomes relatively cool during thenight, and should the pressure regulator close, open and close suddenlythen the resulting water hammer and water surging in the pipingconnected to the regulator is very annoying to those who have retiredfor the night, and may occasion shock in thosewho are awakened suddenly.Water hammer is also very annoying in hospitals, churches andauditoriums.l It is an important object of the present invention toprovide a water pressure regulator for hot 25 water heating systemsadapted to open and close without causing surging or water hammer in theconnected system.

It is also an important object of the present invention to provide awater regulator having 30 novel dash pot means provided with means toen- Sure an air seal and a water seal between a pair of relativelymovable parts.

Other and further objects of the present invention will appearhereinafter.

The present application is a division of application, Serial No. 9,313,filed March 4, 1935, and

resulting in Patent No. 2,067,229 of January 12,

45 which a service pipe is connected in use, and with means defining anoutlet I2 at the other end, for connection with the relief valve of ahot water heating system.

The inlet II communicates with a low pressure 50 chamber I9 through avertical port I4 in a web I5 between the chamber and the inlet. In thisport a valve seat member I6 is threaded so as to be removable from belowand to normally present a downwardly directed valvev seat for engagementl5 by a regulating valve I1.

The valve I'I is inserted insa recess formed in a valve-carrying memberI9, which is threaded Y on a valve stem i 9, and the member I9 isprovided with a downwardly extending annular wall portion 20.

In vertical alignment with the port i4, the base of the casing Iii-hasan opening normally closed by a screw cap 2i adapted to support acylindrical screen 22 which extends between the web I5 and the cap.

The annular wall 20 encircles an upstanding annular wall portion 23formed on the screw cap 2| to provide a dash pot for the valve assembly.

The Wall 20 is fitted about the wall 23 so that it may move freely, butthe clearance between the walls is so small that water just oozes intothe interior of the cup 24 defined by the wall 23 when the wall 20rises. I In the drawing, the regulator valve is shown in its openposition, and when the valve is in this position there is an air pocket25 between the top of the wall 23 and the portion of the member I8 onwhich the valve I'I is seated. The pocket 25 remains filled with air,for it will be obvious that water in the cup 25 cannot do other thanooze over the upper edge of the'wall 23, as the wall 20 descends.

The dash pot assembly, therefore, is anair dash pot With water seal, andwith air sealing a portion of the assembly against water.

The valve-carrying member I8 is held in its assembled relation to thestem I9 by a nut 29 threaded on the lower end of the stem, and a portionof the upper face of the valve I1 engages a shoulder 21 formed on thestem to make a water tight connection therewith.

The wall 29 gives substantial protection to the wall 23 against theaccumulating of whatever foreign matter may escape through the screen22, and also guards'against the passage of foreign matter into the cup24.

The stem I9 extends vertically through the port I4, and near the upperend of the stem there is an enlargement 28 to provide a large bearingarea, followed by a reduced portion on which a nut or washer 29 isthreaded. Disposed opposite the washer 29 is a washer 30 seated on theenlarged portion of the stem, and between the washers 29 and 30 there isclamped a diaphragm 3i, formed of a pair of dished members, and whichare seated o n the casing I0 and held in position by a hood 32 screwedinto position to engage the marginal portion of the diaphragm.

A cap 33, of soft rubber, or the like, is fitted over the threadedwasher 29 to provide a seat n 2; g jf l Y for thelowerend of a coiledcompression spring l., holledln the hOOd Il.'

an' samsung screw u stemden through the head of the hood and bearsagainst a pressure plate Il' provided with a lower portion reducedtoenter the spring-ull. and a cap I1, of soft rub- Vber, or the like,'is interposed between the plate and the spring. l

- The oppositely dished diaphragme cooperate with the spring ll tooperate the valve il with a 'snapactionithat Ais, without fluttering oithe valve as it moves to .the closing position, and when the smalldifferential in pressure between the inlet and the chamber I3, togetherwith the usual constriction of, the water 'stream as a valve closes,produces a condition' encouraging hunting or iiuttering` of the valveabout its closing position,

- varied through a wide range without departing from the principles otthis invention, and I, thereanoaeve forefdo not purpose limiting thelpatent granted vhereon otherwise than is necessitated by the prior art.What isl claimed is:

A water pressure regulator comprising a casing khaving an inlet and anoutlet. means in said.

' casing dividing said casing into an inlet chamber and an outletchamber and carrying a ported valve seat, a valve movable in said inletchamber and engageable with said seat. means in said casing connected tosaid valve to move said valve to open and to closed positions,respectively, with a snap action, a first cup-shaped member movable withsaid valve and having an outwardly extending imperforate annular wall. asecond cupshaped member secured stationary on said casin g and having anoutwardly extending imperiorate annular wall disposed in nested relationwith a wall of said first cup, the lip of one cup being in spaced-apartrelation to the opposed bottom of the other cup to provide an airchamber when said valve is in open position, the op-l posed'walls ofsaid cup members being spaced to permit free relative movement of thecups and provide a. narrow -passage therebetween.

l WILLIAM THOMAS BIRCH.

